ECAD 2019

My fifth year of this project brought everything to a crescendo, with a headline photograph of 8 of the surviving Apollo Astronauts in the same room, the makings of a viral photograph that was featured by NASA and on the front page of Reddit.

L-R: Charles Duke (Apollo 16), Buzz Aldrin (Apollo 11), Walter Cunningham (Apollo 7), Al Worden (Apollo 15), Rusty Schweickart (Apollo 9), Harrison Schmitt (Apollo 17), Michael Collins (Apollo 11), Fred Haise (Apollo 13)

Every year, the Explorers Club honors a group with the Citation of Merit. Above are the awardees, a team from the Hong Kong Chapter of the Explorers Club and Roy Chapman Andrews Centennial Expedition Awardees.This team was in Mongolia in a different part of the Gobi Desert at the same time that our ‘Late Devonian Mass Extinction’ team was there so it meant a lot to photograph them and finally meet them all.

Technically, Buzz Aldrin was the first man on the moon (along with Neil Armstrong) and the 2nd man to walk on the moon.

Technically, Buzz Aldrin was the first man on the moon (along with Neil Armstrong) and the 2nd man to walk on the moon.

Explorers Club Members Jedidah Isler Phd, Jennifer Lopez, Dr Ayana E. Johnson & Rae Wynn-Grant PhD

Explorers Club Members Jedidah Isler Phd, Jennifer Lopez, Dr Ayana E. Johnson & Rae Wynn-Grant PhD

‘New Explorer’ Award Winners for 2017, 2018 & 2019 Sophie Hollingsworth, Ian Mangiardi (this year’s winner) and Trevor Wallace

‘New Explorer’ Award Winners for 2017, 2018 & 2019 Sophie Hollingsworth, Ian Mangiardi (this year’s winner) and Trevor Wallace

Internationally recognized exotic food expert Gene Rurka oversees the world-famous menu for the yearly gala.

Internationally recognized exotic food expert Gene Rurka oversees the world-famous menu for the yearly gala.

Volcanologists Jess and Carlos Phoenix, co-founders of Blueprint Earth whose mission is to safeguard the knowledge of how our planet’s functions for future generations.

Volcanologists Jess and Carlos Phoenix, co-founders of Blueprint Earth whose mission is to safeguard the knowledge of how our planet’s functions for future generations.

The Young Explorers, a group of Explorers Club Member’s children who have been active in explorations, travels and learning and represent the future of the club.

The Young Explorers, a group of Explorers Club Member’s children who have been active in explorations, travels and learning and represent the future of the club.

Egyptologist Colleen Darnell (also known as @vintage_egyptologist), who I also photographed extensively in the field in Egypt

Egyptologist Colleen Darnell (also known as @vintage_egyptologist), who I also photographed extensively in the field in Egypt

Microgravity researcher Kellie Gerardi wearing a spacesuit designed for use during launch, reentry or mission abort.

Microgravity researcher Kellie Gerardi wearing a spacesuit designed for use during launch, reentry or mission abort.

With thanks to The Explorers Club, Bill Runyon, Violet Oliphant O’Neill, Richard Garriott, Mike Massimino, Ann Passer, Richard Wiese, Eric Zember, Kevin Murphy and everyone else at the club who had a hand in making all of this happen.

A special thanks to my incredible team:

Emmanuel Phillips, Hunter Moran, Brandi Nicole, Alex Shaeffer, Ariana Whitney, Magnus Kallner, with help from Pratik Naik on retouching